Football training produces significant changes in body composition and glycaemic control in type-2 diabetes patients, according to a study carried out at University of Copenhagen in Denmark.

It also effectively lowers blood pressure in men with high blood pressure. The study showed that 24 weeks of twice-weekly recreational football training sessions lowered blood pressure and improved heart function in men with high blood pressure and men with type 2 diabetes.

Men with type-2 diabetes lost 12 percent of their abdominal fat and reduced their blood sugar 20 percent more than inactive control subjects.

"We found that football training in men with type-2 diabetes significantly reduced abdominal fat and improved glycaemic control, which is essential for managing diabetes and preventing diabetic complications," said Jens Bangsbo, professor at the University of Copenhagen who led the project.

These effects are likely to reduce the risk of developing heart diseases including heart failure and myocardial infarction. The participants had a reduced need for anti-diabetic and anti-hypertensive medication on completion of the studies.

The projects investigated the effects of football training in 21 men with type-2 diabetes and 32 men with high blood pressure aged between 30 and 60 years with focus on metabolic and cardiovascular changes.

The study was published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science.